History of Lohanas 5 _______________________________________________________________________ _
advancement of the community in profession and business. Further research should fill this critical gap. In contrast to Bakshi’s outline of the Lohanas, which is somewhat general in character, Harubhai Thakkar’s Lohrana : Raghuvamshi Lohana Jatino Udbhav ne Astitva. provides a historical narrative from the point of view of the Lohanas themselves. In view of this perspective, this narrative is a history of consciousness and memory rather than a history of facts only. However, it is not lacking in factual content which is reflected through this narrative. The book also emphasises strongly the warrior, Kshatriya tradition to which the Lohanas belonged for centuries before historical changes led them to become merchants and traders, the Vaishya, the wealth creaters in the varna scheme The opening of the book highlights the importance of this heritage. Before the title page the President of the Porbander Lohana Mahajan reminds members of the community to sustain the memory of this hertiage. He refers to Vir Jasraj , a Lohana Kshatriya hero who lost his life while defending his domain on 22 January many centuries ago (please se a later section which documents important events in life of Vir Jasraj). A number of Kshatriya symbols appear at the beginning of this narrative. As the Lohanas believe that they have descended from the Kshatriya hero Ram of the epic Ramayana who belonged to the descent of the Raghus, they call themselves Raghuvamshi. They literally mean that they are the descendants of the Raghus5 and Ram. As the Raghus were always known to have been the descendants of the sun, the surya . the Lohanas have always used the expressions Suryavamshi and Raghuvamshi to identify their origin and their descent as Kshatriyas. Two illustrations reinforce this warrior origin theme. There is a tricolour flag in yellow, white and safforn with a semi-circle marking the sun and its rays in the first yellow part. The flag is described as Raghuvamshi Kshatra dhwaj which is the Kshtriaya flag of the descendants of Ram. There is a lithogrph to follow. It shows Ram in his traditionally regal pose with an arrow and his bow in his hands - the weapons which signify his preoccupation with the Hindu notions of legitimate power and force. There are several photographs which depict the mother goddess of the Lohanas. She is Shri Hinglaj Bhavani , the primordial goddess. The photographs show the seats of the goddess in Vajiristana and Pakistan. There follows a further lithograph which shows a royal figure on a galloping horse with a spear and a castle in the background. This is Kumar Vir Dada Jasraj - the last king of the Lohar Pradesh , the region which the ancestors of the Lohans controlled when 5
The Sanskirt word vamsha literally means the lineal descent.